Hand Cranked Japanese Vending Machine

Vending machine maker Sanden, which has some 30 percent of the global market, has been showing off a hand-cranked vending machine for emergencies when the power’s out and solar generation isn’t available or feasible.

Japan had some 5 million vending machines as of the end of 2010, including coin lockers, and they’re nearly ubiquitous, found even on the slopes of Mt. Fuji. Sanden’s crank would seem like an essential technology.

Unfortunately, it takes about 70 rotations of the crank to power up the machine, as seen in the vid below. The gauges by the crank show the appropriate amount of force to use.